MG

There has to be one in every group (or at least any group worth belonging to). She’s the one who looks for trouble (otherwise known as fun) then grabs a few friends and brings them along for the ride. In “Burnouts, Geeks & Jesus Freaks: a love story” that girl is MG Ulrich.

Although not based on any one specific person, I knew MG in high school. These were girls who were pied pipers, leading willing followers astray. They either knew where the great parties were, or they created one. They were unpredictable, creative and usually lucky in life. All MG traits.

The fact that MG has never used her given name gives some insight into her personality. She is her own person and creates the world the way she wants it to be. Her style changes with her whims. She lives in the present and doesn’t let things like not knowing her father or other negatives in her past effect her. She also gives little thought to her future. With no specific plans she is happy to tag along on her mom’s dreams and just see where life takes her.

Her friends are her family, and that includes her mom. Only seventeen years apart, they are more friends than parent and child. This gives her too much freedom, but it also develops her sense of self-sufficiency. She may not do it in a traditional (or safe) way, but MG can take care of herself and others. She is a cheerleader (sometimes literally) for her friends.

People are drawn to her good looks and energetic personality and she gets a lot of perks in life. She is aware of her windfall and loves to share it with her friends.

She may not know where she wants to go in her future, but she knows what she doesn’t want. Like her mother she loves luxury and a very comfortable life. Anything that might keep her from that life is ruled out, including love. At seventeen she sees obvious and attainable benefits in material gratification and love as a dangerous distraction.

Although her fate is hinted at in “Burnouts, Geeks & Jesus Freaks”, the details of her story and that of her friend/boyfriend/lover Steve won’t be known ’til book two, “Popstars, Friends & Lovers” – October 2014.